So far, the real positive changes/features I have seen so far are : -> They will add some sort of "open lobbies" (as some randomized list of open lobbies). -> They intend to add some LAN-like (but not true LAN) for less latency between adjacent computers. Probably to avoid tournament games to lose connection in front of the public video streams. -> The patch is intended to be released before HotS.

Unfortunately based on old screenshots, it was at least intended to make the popularity system worse to show case like only the first 5-10 maps instead of encouraging to check at least the first 2-3 pages of maps.

While they intend to add open lobbies, I am not sure if it will buried somewhere where most players won't notice it enough to bother with it. It could also show 60-75% of the pages 1-3 maps thus being pointless for "unpopular" maps (which it's the main reason for it).

They also intend to make "Fun or Not" join open lobbies rather than some lobbyless random map out of nowhere. However, Fun or Not's "popularity" got shot down so much that nobody want to use this feature anymore. As far I know, still no group join either.

In the end, it's a patch with the potential to fix a lot of things (especially with the "open lobbies" part). However, it's very late all things considered and I wouldn't be surprised it somehow goes very wrong.

Battle.net 0.2 tend to have features that *CAN* be quite good but it's always the details that ultimately screw it up horribly. Some examples being : "Fun or Not" not allowing groups or have any sort of control to pick maps, only 3-4 map categories instead of 8+, easily fixable popularity system for rotating map lists, etc.

Considering how it went with patch 1.3 (addition of "Fun or Not") going very flat, I am hopeful for patch 1.5 but I prefer to wait and see. Since HotS will be out fairly soon after patch 1.5, it will be a patch to determine if Blizzard will wake up and fix just enough or if HotS deserve to not be bought at all ... as far I am concerned.

As a completely side note, if I do jump into HotS, I do intend to at least keep a WoL version of W&M.

In terms of art tools, I think the only one that could honestly interest me is the dialog editor from what I heard.

Yes, it can be annoying to constantly test your map (and wait) for minor dialog modifications just because you cannot see where's your button is concretely placed or if the text easily goes out of your dialog, etc.

On a yet completely side note, due to how the custom map system works, it risks to have a harsher split when HotS comes as many map makers will want to update their maps to HotS ... in other words, no longer compatible with WoL-only. Thus, instead of War3/TFT where you could stick with War3-only maps, you probably have to do the jump to HotS or be left out rather than a having a good middle choice.

Depending on how things goes, it might actually end up that mapmakers would be wiser to stick to WoL-only (unless you have a clear need/use of HotS models/features) just to have WoL-only players playing their map as well for extra popularity times.

While I don't personally care that much about Blizzard DotA but anyway :

So another aspect of the patch 1.5 is "streaming". It seems it's not streaming as in streaming games/replays of tournaments in SC2 but streaming game data like Guild Wars 1 or so. In other words, you don't need to have the full data but only the strict minimum to be able to play and the extra is downloaded over time.

Since they said Blizzard DotA would be free, they also intend to allow the map to be played even with the free edition of SC2. However, downloading like 2.5 to 4 GB of compressed SC2 data just to play DotA is a lot for many players.

Thus, that's where streaming comes in. If they only need to download like 1 GB, it becomes much more reasonable for random people that have no clue about SC2 to try Blizzard DotA.

Even if we don't care about DotA itself, it could mean that we don't need to wait a long time for new future patches just to pop on battle.net. Especially if it's new models/sounds that you don't need for your next game anyway.

Although back to Blizzard DotA itself, for the longest time I thought it being free was just plain bullshit on their part and they would 180 it into a premium map when it comes out. However, the streaming plan simply say otherwise ... there is no alternative and justifiable reason to add it anyway.

Considering their current plans, it's much more likely their cash will come in some unannounced paid content (extra heroes, skins, bonuses, etc.) for DotA. They already did implement their Blizzard $ Account thingy. Also curious if they will honestly update DotA over time due to that while considering their poor track record to update their own maps.

There also the potential side bonus of Blizzard DotA players seeing all the "shiny and potential" custom maps and then willing to pay 60$ for the full SC2.

Unfortunately, against their competitors LoL and DotA2, I believe Blizzard DotA will fall behind in the grand scheme of things. LoL and DotA2 are released before and pretty much have guaranteed developer support over time. I do occasionally play LoL and despite its lower graphical quality, it clearly have the big community advantage that SC2 is sorely lacking. For example, when you finish a LoL game, there is a chat window (along with each player's items/kills/etc.) for all players involved and it's a good and simplistic way to make friends.

Ricky_Honejasi wrote:Considering how it went with patch 1.3 (addition of "Fun or Not") going very flat, I am hopeful for patch 1.5 but I prefer to wait and see. Since HotS will be out fairly soon after patch 1.5, it will be a patch to determine if Blizzard will wake up and fix just enough or if HotS deserve to not be bought at all ... as far I am concerned.

As a completely side note, if I do jump into HotS, I do intend to at least keep a WoL version of W&M.

They still think they can release HotS this year?

Beside the Viper, the thought of buying HotS is filled with a bunch of "meh". I don't even play WoL anymore.

Beside the Viper, the thought of buying HotS is filled with a bunch of "meh". I don't even play WoL anymore.

That's hard to say. By "soon after", I probably mean a few months. In my personal guesses, I expect the 1.5 patch to be out in 4-5 months then HotS coming in early 2013. They already got D3 and the WoW panda expansion to release first thus it's clear they will delay the time between the game releases.

EDIT : And yes, the HotS IS filled with "meh" all over it.

IskatuMesk wrote:I'm only interested to see what kind of particle assets their Dota has. Speaking of which, I'm not sure where the assets for Left to die are hiding...

It's in their separate mod for "Left to Die". You got to download it either by d/ling the map (along with the mod) or open the editor and search for the mod (named "Left to die" or so) to open.

Greetings! Our StarTools suite of art tools and plugins require Patch 1.5.0 or later, so now that the patch is out, the road to releasing them has been paved. We're actively preparing a StarTools Beta and hope to have it in the hands of an initial round of public testers very shortly en route to a full release.

We'll provide more updates on StarTools in the coming weeks. In the meantime, thanks for your interest and know that we're really excited to get them out to you so we can start seeing all the full-featured art the community makes with them!

It seems that Blizzard did assign like 3-4 new members very specific to the mapmaking scene in the long term. As in people that actually give answers, give some concrete help and so on for all mapmaking related things.

It's likely Blizzard's concrete move to avoid that mapmakers feel downright ignored post patch 1.5. Quite frankly, after 2 years, it's probably the best initial move to break the thick and eternal ice that was formed after so long.